Bad Chinese emperors spent their time indulging themselves in palaces while neglecting state affairs. Good emperors lost sleep as they tirelessly administered the state and worried about the welfare of their subjects. Some famously travelled incognito to see for themselves how their people really lived and what hardships they suffered.

Of all Myanmar's reforms, few are as fundamentally important to the nation's people as media freedom. The recent launch of four privately owned newspapers - the first of 16 given approval to publish daily by the quasi-civilian government - is a small but vital step on that road. A six-decade stranglehold on the press by the military deprived citizens of basic rights and information. Remaining doubts about authorities' sincerity and intentions will be vanquished if journalists are again able to do their jobs without fear or favour.

Roy Tang Yun-kwong, the RTHK chief at the centre of a politically charged row, could have seen it coming on his first day on the job. In September 2011, Tang, a veteran civil servant seen as a rising star among administrative officers, was greeted by a black carpet and protesters at the broadcaster's Kowloon Tong offices.

RTHK is caught in the midst of a political storm. The latest controversy involves claims by acting assistant director of TV and corporate business, Forever Sze Wing-yuen, that he would not be promoted to the job on a permanent basis because he refused to carry out "political missions" assigned by his boss.

Exco convenor Lam Woon-kwong has weighed into the escalating row at RTHK, saying its broadcasting director Roy Tang Yun-kwong should exercise caution in his role as it is different from heading up other government departments.

The elevation of top censor Liu Yunshan to the powerful Politburo Standing Committee this week worries some mainland journalists and activists who fear a tougher line on media and internet freedom, though analysts say the situation will depend on the direction set by the new party chief, Xi Jinping.

The government's promise to co-operate with the Ombudsman's direct investigation into the administration of the Code on Access to Information is telling. Complaints that its officers are not complying with the provisions have been getting louder and the response is an admission of problems.

Without question, one of the successes of the 'two systems . . .' pledge has been in the area of media freedom. Despite concerns about self-censorship, there has been no evidence of any attempt by the Government to interfere in the customary day-to-day workings of the press or broadcasting.